


Stupid, Selfless Idiots

by SiederTreeStudios



Series: FullMetal Alchemist Works [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Edward Elric Swears, Gen, Kiddnapped Edward Elric, POV Roy Mustang, Parental Roy Mustang, Paternal Roy Mustang, Roy Mustang is a Dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23738245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiederTreeStudios/pseuds/SiederTreeStudios
Summary: When you spend enough time with someone, you tend to start to care a little more about them. Or maybe you cared all along, but didn't realize it until you really thought about it?What ever the case, Roy is stuck with Ed in this damn room for a while, so he might as well talk to him.
Relationships: Edward Elric & Roy Mustang
Series: FullMetal Alchemist Works [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709860
Kudos: 160





	Stupid, Selfless Idiots

**Author's Note:**

> I know Ed having a breakdown is a theme in my stories, but dang it he won’t accept any help otherwise! So here’s... another breakdown fic... I promise I’ll add more variety!

This is not how he envisioned his day going.  
  


Roy Mustang merely expected a simple trip to West Amestris, just a simple check up on some old town. Maybe grab some food after, catch the train, do paperwork on they way back to Central, and finish the day in his minimalistic home with maybe a couple of late night meetings. Nothing he hadn’t handled before, and couldn’t handle now.

Needless to say, things didn't go quite as well as he hoped.  
  


For one thing, FullMetal had to tag along for this mission. This is something he knew was going to happen, of course, but things never tended to go smoothly when it came to the Elric brothers, especially when it came to the short, stubborn blonde with anger issues and a superiority complex. He tended to be the catalyst for most disasters, so he knew there would be trouble, but he only expected the occasional annoying jab from FullMetal, not being captured for whatever reason by some sort of secret organization.  
  


And then there was that— being captured. And not just captured, put in a cell with Fullmetal, his gloves gone and Ed's hands trapped in some sort of contraption that kept him from clapping his hands together. In a cell. With Fullmetal, of all the people in the world. Really, their mystery kidnappers didn't even have to torture him for him to be miserable, if they had actually bothered to show their faces after putting them in this cell.  
  


Fullmetal has been surprisingly quiet, which was a strange thing on its own. Not once, in all the time Roy knew him, we he this quiet in the face of danger. He fiddled as much as he could with the strange contraption his hands were stuck in, his eyes sharp and focused. Meanwhile, Roy was leaning against the edge of the cell, looking out at the room outside of it.  
  


Well, if you could call it a "room." The huge cavern beyond the cell was underground, cells lining the walls of the circular chamber. The only source of light was the opening at the top of it all, many stories above them, a golden spotlight shinning down on the dammed souls that did whatever they did to land themselves here. The lack of light from all other places cast long shadows, the simple 4 by 4 cell being dark and damp. The set up was impressive, but Roy personally would've went for more fire. Definitely would’ve added atmosphere. But Roy couldn’t help but think back to when they were captured, and the absolute _idiot_ his subordinate had been.  
  


After being defeated, mainly by the surprise attack from their captors, he and FullMetal were chained, FullMetal being put in that strange sort of handcuff that prevented him from clapping and Roy's gloves being taken from him, and were led around the long circular path around the room, past prisoners on different floors, each saying nothing, just watching. Their eyes held the hopelessness of a man on his way to the hanging tree, each one boring into Roy solemnly. He didn't like how unfazed they were. It was obvious this was a common occurrence. He'd have to report that.

But back to the matter at hand. FullMetal had something to explain to him, and he had yet to mention it, let alone say a word to Roy all together.  
  


"Why did you do that." Roy said, turning his sharp gaze upon the chained boy. He paused, the shaking of chains fading for only a second. He resumed his fiddling, saying quietly, " 'Don't know what's you're referring to, Colonel."  
  


"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Now what the hell were you thinking." Roy said, glowering at him. He turned fully to FullMetal, his shadow casting darkness over the sitting alchemist. FullMetal didn't reply, his golden blonde hair covering his face as he continued to methodically fiddle with the one thing preventing his alchemy.  
  


"Fullmetal, what you did was reckless. It could've got both of us killed for all you know. You had no idea where they'd take us, yet you surrendered so easily-" Roy started, only to be cut off by the once silent teen.  
  


"They were going to kill you, Colonel. I just saved your ass, I don't need a lecture." He growled, a spark of his usual defiance showing through, at the most annoying time as usual.  
  


"So what? You just surrender like that? It's clear that they need you for something, and now you just hand yourself over? I would've been fine-"  
  


"They had you at gunpoint! Without your gloves! They would've shot you if you had shifted an inch. Besides, now we can figure out what's going on around here!" FullMetal shot back, finally maintaining eye contact.  
  


"Which you could've done from the outside if you had just ran while you had the chance! For gods sake, can you not follow orders for once-"

"Again, they we're going to shoot you! You have a life to live, a purpose-"  
  


"And you don't? What about your brother? Your quest? You're just going to throw all that away-"  
  


"You didn't deserve to die there! You're going to make this country better, to become a leader Amestris deserves! You deserve better." Edward yelled, shooting up and waving his chained hands to the best of his ability.  
  


"And you _don't_? Is that it?" Roy yelled back, his obsidian eyes flaring.

FullMetal hesitated, breaking eye contact. Not a word was said between the two of them, the silence remaining unbroken. Roy stood silently, regaining his composure. Fullmetal glared at his hands, his head lowered in defeat as he sat again, maneuvering slowly as chains scraped across concrete.

Roy remembered when Alphonse told him more about Fullmetal, more importantly his lack of self esteem. The younger brother took him aside and told him that FullMetal had always had issues with self-worth, especially when his father left. Anxiety only worsened his depression, and he used his loud and standoffish personality as a shield to his feelings. Alphonse has been worried that Roy would push him too far, or make his anxiety worse if he didn't know. He remembered exactly what he said that day:  
  


"I thank you for telling me this, Alphonse. I will never let your brother doubt his self-worth, not for a second. He is, as of now, my subordinate. He is important, and if it ever comes to a point where I can clearly see him doubting his own worth, I will help him through it, if you think I am the right person to do so."  
  


He had meant those words. It almost scared him a little, how willing he was. How he hadn't bothered to question if he was the right person for the job. How he hadn't protested. How he had accepted it wholeheartedly. He just did. He did because every instinct told him to, and there was no if or but in the equation. He had to, so he would.  
  


He was a man of his word.  
  


"Full-... Edward." Roy said, sighing. He sat down, running a hand through his hair. Ed had flinched at the use of his real name, but remained silent, listening. Roy straightened up as he sat, thinking of how to phrase his thoughts whilst sacrificing as little of his pride as possible.  
  


"... I need you to listen to me very closely, because this is important. You, Edward Elric, are worth saving. You are important. If you weren't, why would I have bothered to ask if you wanted to be a State Alchemist? Why would your brother follow you all around Amestris?"  
  


"Because it could benefit you. And Al wants his body back, I owe it to him." Ed mumbled, not looking up.  
  


"Is that really what you believe? Because that is the most stupid thing I've heard from you ever, and you are a very intelligent person." Roy said, watching Ed intently, hoping that statement wouldn’t come back to bite him later. "You realize that I don't keep people around just so they can benefit me. I keep people around because they are smart, loyal, and most of all, morally upright. Benefiting me is a lucky side-effect, but believe me when I say, I don't keep people who don't matter to me around. As for Alphonse, do you notice whenever you say that you're going to get his body back, he says he's going to get yours back?" He watched as Ed nodded slowly, his flesh hand shaking ever so slightly. Ed still wouldn’t meet his eyes.  
  


"He doesn't just say that for no reason, you know. He would do almost anything to get your body back. Now let me ask you this: would he do that for someone who doesn't matter?" Roy said. He hoped that he was doing this right, after all he was way over his head. Edward needs an adult right now. And he was the only one who may be able to help. God, how do you talk to kids anyway? He hoped he was doing this right. He can't get nervous now. Ed needed a level headed adult.  
  


"He's just doing it out of obligation! Equivalent exchange, I get his whole body back and fix the shit I caused and he gives me my limbs back if we can. That's it! It's more than I deserve, after all it was my idea to bring her back. And look where it got him." Ed exploded, finally looking at Roy. He shot up as he said it, his lips were curled into a snarl, his pose defensive and standoffish. Roy didn't miss, however, the small pools of tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.  
  


Roy stayed quiet, letting Edward calm down. Ed drew back a little, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked down. "Tch." He said, running a hand down his face.  
  


"Edward. Look at me." Roy said, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. Silence, for a second. Roy sighed, ‘to hell with it.’  
  


"Please."  
  


The small, sincere word was all it took.

Ed let out a small, almost wounded noise, sinking to his knees. Roy kneeled, putting a hand on his shoulder, and saying, "Hey, hey. It's going to be alright."  
  


"Damn it." Ed said, roughly wiping the tears away. "Tell anyone about this.."  
  


"I won't be so insensitive as to poke fun at your worst moments Ed, who do you take me for?" Roy said, sitting down and leaning against the wall, mirroring Edward's position. "Besides, I think our mysterious kidnappers didn't account for something.."  
  


Ed looked up curiously and Roy smiled, holding up a Bobby pin and gesturing to the cuffs on Ed's hands. "I suppose you want to get out of that? I think one of them made a comment on your height..."  
  


The shift in mood was almost instantaneous. Ed growled, "Which one? I need to know who to skewer..." Malice filled his eyes as plans filled his brain, a Cheshire Cat grin stark on his face.  
  


Roy only laughed, unlocking the cuffs with the Bobby pin and saying, "First you've got to get us out of here.."

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


Roy sighed, thinking of how much paperwork this was going to cause. Maybe telling FullMetal about that comment was not such a good idea in hindsight... but the damage was done. The frightened captators has been taken into custody, the other captured let loose, and the day had been saved as he’d hoped.  
  


FullMetal reunited with his brother, who had been worrying ever since they didn't call and check in when they promised they would. Luckily, Riza had sent out a search party after an hour, so when they escaped they didn't need to look far for backup. Unluckily, however, now Roy really had to report this well, considering military eyewitnesses were at the scene. Meaning he'd have to file his kidnapping.   
  


God, he's already tired.  
  


He glanced FullMetal's way, observing the usually energy-filled alchemist as quiet and dead tired. It has been a long and emotion-filled day, something he was probably not so used to. After all, sharing and caring wasn't exactly the kids style, and Mustang can relate. But he knew Ed needed someone to let everything out to, and if that meant Roy had to be the adult in the room, then he would be.

Suddenly, Ed looked at him in the eyes, a silent message. Don't tell Alphonse, or the others about what we talked about. Roy smiled, giving him a nod. Ed relaxed a little more at that, his slightly tense shoulders sinking fully.  
  


Roy leaned back a little, relaxing and looking at the night sky stretching above the scene.

Perhaps the paperwork is worth it.


End file.
